SUBJECTS: Talisman Sabre; Chinese Spy Ships; Cyber Security.

SCOTT EMERSON, HOST: And we're joined at this time of the week, every week by Milton Dick Member for Oxley and obviously the also the former ALP Labor strategist here in Queensland. Milton how you?

MILTON DICK, MEMBER FOR OXLEY: G'day Scott, greetings from Townsville today.

EMERSON: Now from Townsville. Now, I understand you had been up north as part of the talisman site. But now what were you? What are you finding up there in the uniform? I can imagine it all happening with you, Milton Dick..

DICK: Yeah, well, look, one of the best things I've done since becoming an MP in 2016, was to join the Parliamentary ADF programme, which is a programme that's been going for around 20 years that enables members and senators from both sides of politics, to embed themselves with the Australian Defence Forces. And I've been privileged to be able to visit Iraq and places like Afghanistan to have a better understanding about exactly what the brave men and women of our nation are facing, particularly in those difficult circumstances. But this week, I've been lucky enough to spend a bit of time on the ground at Shoalwater Bay and also add on military exercises at around Townsville. And I'm based at the Lavarack Barracks this week.

So they put us in a uniform. We're not particularly good at marching, but we do take orders. And we've been really heartened with a couple of other MPs, Ben Small the Senator from Western Australia and Tim will- Tim Wilson, the member for Goldstein and as well as the members, officials from Queensland, so a small group, but we've been watching and learning a lot about the exercises that are happening up here and the seven and a half thousand troops that are on the ground in this region. And I've been part of the bilateral exercise, the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the USA.

EMERSON: Now Talisman Sabre is a regular exercise that is held at Shoalwater Bay, with the US and other allied nations as well. But the other regular part of that is the Chinese always send a spyship off into international waters, but off the Queensland coast to find out anything about that exercise. I assume you weren't far enough out to spot the Chinese?

DICK: No, look, I did- I haven't seen any of those operations. But I, you know, we are all aware that I think for the last couple of Sabre's, in 17, and 19, it is held every two years, there has been legally operating Chinese naval operations in the region, they're entitled to be there. And obviously, you know, that's an exercise that they undertake and, also Australia and it's worked as a similar thing. They've perhaps become more assertive in recent times, but it's not unusual. But China would take an interest in this significant exercise between our countries, Australia, the US, but Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Britain, and for the first time the Republic of South Korea.

EMERSON: Now we did see today that Australia, along with almost 40 other countries did call out China, about this the cyber attack on Microsoft earlier this year, basically saying look, they have they are basically contracted hackers to do this. How big a threat do you see China?

DICK: Well, look, I mean, I think it's right to call out attacks on Australia, whether they be cyber crimes - and that seems to be the new era, you and I spoken before about the work of some of those cyber criminals, but any activities that are inappropriate against our nation. And I'm really pleased that both sides of politics that I have called this out, you know, these cyber security issues are very serious. And people need to be aware that over the years, these are on the increase. And there's been a number of countries that we've been working with, and I would wholeheartedly endorse the statements by the foreign minister Marise Payne and the Defence Minister, Peter Dutton and Karen Andrews, the Home Affairs Minister and their comments today, we should call these attacks out now. They are attacks on our cyber security, and I think they are very deeply concerning. I certainly have, when Parliament returns, if we return in a couple of weeks, we'll be raising these issues and perhaps discussing them in further detail.

EMERSON: What can we do about China? I just said before, it feels like we're in a cold war with China, talking about the trade wars in the Belt and Road initiatives there. We've seen obviously, the cyber attacks as well. It just seems to be going from one thing to the other with China, unrelenting, but we're only a small nation, is there more that we can be doing?

DICK: Well, I think we need to be looking at the industries that we are working on here. Obviously, I've been talking to a lot of people regarding our manufacturing and advanced manufacturing. I think there's economic areas that Australia should be looking at, but also our trade relationships. If we do have the difficulties with one nation and a difficulty does come up from time to time that we look at extending our trade relations, you know, very keen to say trade industries expanded in India. You know, I think there's huge opportunities there about where we can pivot, particularly for our primary industries. We've seen sanctions against the tariffs lighted up against the barley farmers, the meat producers, even the wine, even the lobsters in Australia are getting a raw deal. But I think there are opportunities for us out of this. And I'm certainly hope with the trade deals that we're putting together with the UK and also India. We have a successful meeting in my electorate with the India Australia chamber, and connected into Indian businesses through the Springfield city group to look at how we can improve those relationships. So it's a multifaceted issue, Scott, you know, but I'm really glad that we call those cyber attacks out today and I fully backed what the government's been doing. 

EMERSON: Alright, Milton Dick, always good to speak. We'll catch you again next week.

DICK: See you then.

ENDS

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